Leopards power past CLU

photo by Sara Kirk

University of La Verne sophomore Jonathan Marty got caught stealing second in the fourth inning during the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Ben Hines Field, as Cal Lutheran’s Danny Chaparro (No. 3) brings the ball back to the infield. The first game ended with a 12-4 victory for the Leopards. La Verne ended the weekend series Sunday with a 9-4 victory.

by Chrissy Zehrbach
Sports Editor

The University of La Verne baseball team accomplished a task it had not pulled off since 1995 and earned a three-game sweep over California Lutheran University last weekend.

The Kingsmen have proven in the past to be tough competition, but the Leopards attacked like true champions, defeating Cal Lu, 10-4, 12-4 and 9-4.

“We knew we had to play our best game, and we played three of our best games,” sophomore Jonathan Marty said.
ULV only relinquished 12 total runs in the series on 21 hits, outscoring Cal Lu 31-12 in the series.

“They had 21 hits in 27 innings, which is under a hit an inning for an offense that was hitting almost .330 coming into that series,” head coach Scott Winterburn said. “Our pitchers basically shut them down. They didn’t put up a lot of threats because our pitchers were doing a really good job of throwing strikes and commanding the strike zone.”

With three additional conference wins, the Leopards are now 22-9 on the season, 11-2 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; ULV remains atop conference standings.

There is something about this year’s team that has more drive, intensity and maybe even talent than in previous years that keeps them winning. They definitely have the heart, and they showed it this weekend.

Rain on Saturday forced the Leopards to continue game three of the series on Sunday afternoon. ULV picked up where they had left off at Ben Hines Field: in the sixth inning with no outs and one Cal Lu runner on first. The Leopards were ahead in the game, 3-1.

Justin Van Duyne picked up where starting pitcher Alan Sarrail had left off. Sarrail had pitched five complete innings, allowing only one run and striking out two. In three innings of work, Van Duyne struck out four batters, giving up three runs.

“We had a lot of confidence in Justin Van Duyne; we’ve had a lot of confidence in him all year long. He’s a starting pitcher that doesn’t always get a start in a series, but he always pitches somewhere at the critical time in every series. He’s like our go-to guy,“ Winterburn said.

ULV was relentless at the plate and put up six more runs to take the victory, 9-4.

Rain may have delayed Saturday’s game numerous times, but it did not stop the Leopards from jumping on an early 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one. Countering the Kingsmen’s efforts throughout the game, ULV prevailed. 12-4

In the first game of the series, Friday in Thousand Oaks, the Leopards proved it is never too late to earn the win. Down 4-2 in the top of the ninth inning, ULV posted a comeback, determined not to lose. The Leopards put eight runs on the board, headlined by Marty, who came in as a pinch hitter and hit a grand slam with two outs.

“This group of offensive players is much more versatile than we’ve had in the past in terms of being able to do what the situation calls for, they’ve prepared themselves as such,” Winterburn said.

“I was thinking don’t strike out, just hit the ball somewhere,” Marty said. “It was probably the biggest hit of my life. It turned around the whole series and we never looked back from there.”

The Leopards not only took the game, 10-4, but gained the needed confidence to continue their success in the series.

“That game was one of the best games I’ve ever been a part of as a coach. It was a great, thrilling, come from behind, dramatic game, its what you’re in it for it’s those situations, the lure of the game,” Winterburn said.